International & World Report

Three days after the loss of the AAA assigned by Standard & Poor's, Americans woke up in shock Monday in what they perceive as a true national humiliation, while the two parties were the blame.

All weekend, politicians and economists have debated the television studios of the legitimacy of the downgrade of U.S. debt. The subject continued to occupy most of the news on Monday, forcing Barack Obama to step up. In a short statement, Bush blasted credit rating agencies. "The United States still deserve the AAA," Has he said, wanting to be evidence that investors had continued to buy Treasury debt on Monday. Quoting Warren Buffett, the famous investor, as he believes "the United States deserve a quadruple A!."

A political weapon

However, Barack Obama acknowledged that the issue of deficits had become critical and assured that he would make proposals to address them in the coming weeks. He reiterated his commitment to reforming the U.S. tax system, which will require higher taxes for the wealthy, and agreed to amend, at the margin, its reform of social security (Medcare) considered too expensive by many of economists. He also called in turn Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, and José Luis Zapatero, Spanish Prime Minister, to discuss the need for coordinated action to avoid a slowdown in the global economy.

Yet Barack Obama, who Monday sought a message of optimism by saying that economic problems "can be solved," has not convinced Wall Street that ended the session by falling 5.55%.U.S. President knows that the degradation of S & P is a political weapon for his opponents. "This degradation is that of the Tea Party, because a minority of people went against the will of the majority of Republicans," has dealt Democratic Senator John Kerry.

Republican side, it was blamed on Barack Obama. "I recognize that there are shortcomings, but they come in large part to the failure of the president to lead the country. The Republicans control only a third of the government, "said Senator John McCain.

The former director of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, offered his own reading, Sunday on NBC. "It's not a question of assessment of rating agencies. There is zero chance that the United States fall into default (…). What S & P has done is hit a nerve.He faces the pride of America, "he said.

ALSO READ:

"What does a stock market crash?

"The impact of an incalculable loss" AAA "American

"It's hard to recover the" AAA "when it was lost

"The seven keys of the crisis

The American and European leaders were under pressure Sunday to try to agree on a concerted response to the debt crisis in the eurozone and the degradation of the note of the United States. Front line, they seek to avoid further financial market plunge Monday, worried about the slowdown in global growth and spread of the debt crisis in the eurozone. Since Friday, so they stepped up contacts.

• Maintenance of imminent G7 finance ministers. Finance ministers of the G7, which includes the U.S., Germany, Japan, France, Canada, Italy and Britain, have stepped up telephone contacts this weekend in order to develop a common strategy to offer.After heavy turbulence in global financial markets, which lost 2,500 billion during the past week, they must reassure investors about the ability and determination of their countries to reduce deficits and public debts. A telephone conference of finance ministers and central bankers to be held Monday, according to Japanese news agency Kyodo. Interviews are tentatively scheduled before the opening of Asian markets (in the night from Sunday to Monday in Europe).

• A G20 focused on the debt. More broadly, the G20, which groups the world's major economies, contacted by telephone Sunday morning to discuss the consequences of the debt crisis on both sides of the Atlantic. Nothing had filtered from the meeting at noon.Only South Korea said that its confidence in the U.S. Treasury had not changed despite the decision of Standard & Poor's. "There will be no change in the policy of foreign exchange reserves of South Korea," said Vice Minister of Finance.

• The ECB will speak Sunday. Among the tracks in the study is a possible intervention by the European Central Bank, which could buy government bonds in Italy and Spain. This intervention is strongly demanded by the markets payday loans. The European Central Bank Thursday reactivated its share repurchase program of sovereign debt in order to calm soaring interest rates in some countries of the euro area, but has so far bought only small amounts of debt and Irish Portuguese, while speculation is focused on Italy and Spain.If the decision to intervene is taken, the ECB and national central banks will begin to redeem the bond markets open Monday. A meeting of governors will be held Sunday to 18 hours.

• Nicolas Sarkozy met with David Cameron on Saturday. The President, who chairs the G7 and G20 met Saturday evening on the phone for thirty minutes of the financial situation with British Prime Minister. The two men "agreed on the importance of working together to monitor the situation closely and keep in touch in the coming days," said a London spokesman for Downing Street, without giving further details. The discussion between the two leaders has focused on his view "the euro area and the lowering of the rating American."

• Barack Obama called on Europeans Friday night.According to the White House, Bush spoke by phone separately with President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel about "the latest developments of the crisis in the euro zone" and noted "the importance of [the] implementation "of measures adopted at the summit of the euro area on July 21. The leaders of the eurozone had concerted Friday after finding that the agreement found to cope with the debt crisis had not convinced the markets. If Italy and Spain are at the heart of the turmoil, other countries are also affected such as Belgium.

ALSO READ:

"" The deterioration U.S. puts enormous pressure on Europe "

"The performance of credit rating agencies

"Who owns the Debts

EDF is optimistic. The electrician today reported improved results for first half 2011 and has set ambitious targets in the medium term. In a statement, the group announced that its sales rose 2.7% to 33,464 million euros and aims for the period 2011-2015 average annual growth of between 4% and 6% its gross operating profit (EBITDA), and 5% to 10% of its net income.

It also provides a ratio of debt to EBITDA of 2.1 to 2.3 (two in the first half) and a dividend at least equal to that paid for 2010. EDF will also establish an investment program, the amount reach 13 to 15 billion euros by 2015.Perspectives of "profitable growth" long overdue and should bolster the market.

Side results, the net half the group up 54% year on year to 2.6 billion euros, also benefits from a favorable comparison effect since EDF had spent in its 2010 accounts a provision of a billion euros to cover the risk of impairment of its assets in the United States. Analysts had forecast a net profit slightly below the 2.429 billion euros.

"The first half of 2011 is marked in a troubled context, a strong operational performance, particularly related to the increase in nuclear generation in France and the UK", says Group CEO Henri Proglio, quoted in the statement.

Nuclear generation raised

In an interview with Les Echos, Proglio stresses that nuclear generation in France has a record in the first half. It amounted to 218.4 terawatt hours (TWh), offsetting the decline of 7.6 TWh of hydropower production group in France, which has suffered water conditions "deteriorated". As a result, the group raised its target and has produced in France from 411 to 418 TWh, against 408 to 415 before. "The group has investments necessary for the proper operation of power plants, increasing capacity and extending their service life beyond 40 years, and incorporate lessons learned related to Fukushima," said Henri Proglio.

The group that had fallen in 2009 to its lowest level of production for 10 years as a result of breakdowns and strikes, had already made an investment effort in 2010.Nearly two billion euros were spent on ten-year inspections, the program of replacement of heavy components and other investments related to plant operations, against 1.5 billion euros the previous year. This amount is expected to reach 3.4 and 3.6 billion euros in 2015, according to Proglio.

At the Paris stock exchange, EDF lost 1.06% while the CAC was down 0.84%.

ALSO READ:

"EDF and Areva will strengthen their partnership

"A new dam EDF in the Alps

"Two years late for Flamanville

Courted by the stock exchanges around the world, Chinese private enterprises would they be about to fall into disgrace? After several scandals revealed in recent weeks, rating agencies go up to the plate one after the other. Fitch Ratings yesterday estimated that fraud cases were probably only just begun in the Middle Kingdom.

The U.S. agency has assessed 35 companies listed on the Shanghai and is ready to review its portfolio of Chinese. She considers their standard accounting and trading in Shanghai as many "key indicators of their weakness."

Although the Chinese accounting standards, adopted in 2006, are very close to IFRS (international financial-reporting standards), audit firms have not the confidence of investors, and obviously not the rating agencies which still largely prefer the four major (Ernst & Young, KPMG, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte & Touche).The Fitch report said that companies from these large firms "would be more difficult to publish than those fraudulent reports go through domestic companies."

Fitch does not mean to review the scores awarded to different companies observed, adding that they "are already taking into account the context of a Chinese legal environment and an under-developed documentation, practices and specific business low corporate governance practices. "

Nevertheless, this case is the latest blow to Chinese companies. Last week, Moody's, which was hoisted the "red flags" of sixty-one companies that note. Fitch's rival evoked particular the opacity caused by a family shareholding in forty-three of them.

For several weeks, scandals involving Chinese companies listed multiply.Everything was packed in June, with the case Sino-Forest the title of which collapsed in Toronto. Since February, the business of handling accounts or misrepresentation of results had already forced many companies to delist in the U.S..

Loss of confidence

In total, nearly forty companies have shown irregularities, not the United States. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Constable of U.S. markets, has established a special committee to investigate these Chinese companies.

Hong Kong is no exception.The financial analysis firm Dealogic calculates that Chinese private enterprises were canceled or postponed them of trading, the equivalent of $ 3.8 billion.

Finally, there is a shift among investors who gradually give more confidence in the state, whose sovereign debt is rated A + by Fitch and Aa3 by Moody's, as private companies.

"Nuclear power is one reason for the choice of France, not a choice of passion," said Eric Besson justified this Friday morning on Europe 1 radio. Recalling that the energy brought to France an "energy independence" and that it limited the emissions of greenhouse gases, the Minister of Industry, Energy and the Digital Economy has reported that "the certainty absolute "that electricity prices would be higher for the French consumer without nuclear.

The minister, however, announced that a "great foresight exercise", called "Energy 2050" was launched on Friday, "few hours". "We will study all possible scenarios (…) the energy mix for years to come."

No cases will be avoided, he said, "including so-called scenarios of nuclear power," even if "no belief" or "the choice of the Government and the President of the Republic." "To say 'out nuclear power', it means nothing, he said. What is interesting is to know where it is replaced, what consequences for the dependency [energy], how much it costs to businesses and consumers and with what consequences for greenhouse gas emissions. "

The program, which provides an "analysis of energy demand in France and the world" and "all sources of production" will be led by "the services of Bercy, with a number of experts and personalities independent, "the minister said without giving further details no fax cash advances.

Fessenheim: no suspension or moratorium

Eric Besson has also confirmed that the Fessenheim nuclear power plant in Alsace will not be subject to suspension of its business, or a moratorium. "The Nuclear Safety Authority, which is totally independent of political power, EDF has given permission to stay in business for ten years subject to a number of works. So Fessenheim continue its business, "he added.

But he added that "Fessenheim be subject, like all French nuclear power plants in Fukushima post-audit," an audit requested by the government to learn from the nuclear disaster that occurred in Japan in March. "The nuclear safety authority may make other decisions," he said.

ALSO READ:

"Eric Besson:" Nuclear power remains dominant "

"The five lessons in French Fukushima

"Nuclear: the extension of conditional Fessenheim

"" The nuclear power plant safety is not negotiable "

Saturn must be profitable in three years: it is the objective that its new owner, HTM Group, has set. The holding of the family group Mulliez (Paragraph, Kiabi, etc.). Boulanger strengthens its brand with 35 stores in French Media Saturn, a subsidiary of the German Metro, which she bought on June 30 for an undisclosed price.

"Saturn knew generate traffic in its stores with low prices and promotions, but never developed Internet business and has never managed to be profitable," especially in front of supermarkets are on the same niche (26 % market share), explains Layous Bernard, director of purchasing and marketing Boulanger.

"With Saturn, Boulanger changes category. Faced with global suppliers, we will have greater purchasing power and we will be known to the public, "he says.The distributor of multimedia products and services and appliances improves its national coverage with this acquisition, which "saves 3 to 4 years of expansion." Even if Baker is, first, giving up open the store on the outskirts of Saturn provided Avignon and on the other hand, give five other outlets of the brand (Toulon, Le Havre, Mulhouse, Aubergenville , Angers), and a shop in Tours Boulanger to respect the opinion of the Competition Authority on the merger.

No project abroad

The integration of the stores kept Saturn, which carry a turnover of 500 million euros, will allow Boulanger (97 stores) to reach the 2 billion mark in sales in a French market the electrical appliance 22 billion euros, according to Gfk.

"The market has been growing steadily for twenty years, with the exception of 2009," says Francis cord, CEO of HTM Group. Since the beginning of the year, but the activity is again down, 1.2%, except for sales professionals on the Internet, such as Darty and Fnac. These are already doing about 10% of their sales through this channel, twice as Boulanger, who made his priority. Points boulanger.com withdrawals and will appear in the old Saturn, because a client of two picks the order.More reason to want to see HTM Group "soon" its goal of 150 stores Boulanger on the rise, with major cities and especially Paris-line of sight. International expansion, produced by its competitors, remains a dream, "but before going abroad, one must be strong in our home market," said Francis cord. Confident, it provides a higher turnover of Boulanger 3% over the year, at constant perimeter.

ALSO READ:

"Francis cord amplifies the influence of Boulanger

The mood remains gloomy in the Paris Stock Exchange on Thursday. In the aftermath of a session that saw the CAC 40abandonner 1.49%, morale improved slightly with the release of U.S. indicators better than expected. In the afternoon, the Paris index erased some losses and ended down 0.38% to 3792.31 points after hitting a low of 3743.97 points.

The London Stock Exchange also ended lower, the FTSE-100 index lost 0.76% to 5698.81 points. The Frankfurt Dax finished down slightly from 0.07% to 7110.2 points.

This bad mood, which resulted in Wall Street and Asian markets this morning in the dark red, is mainly due to Greece. Indeed, the financial position and policy of the country bogged down.The special meeting of finance ministers has ended in failure Wednesday, Europeans failing to agree on the role of private creditors in the new rescue measures. Meanwhile, violent demonstrations took place in Parliament of the country, forcing the Prime Minister George Papandreou to announce a reshuffle of his government that is expected to announce on Thursday evening.

Decline in jobless claims across the Atlantic

In addition to Greece, the eyes were again turned to the United States Wednesday, the publication of disappointing statistics showed the weakness of the U.S. recovery, particularly in the industry.On Thursday, the news was, however, quite good: the new jobless claims have declined more than expected and the United States, where 414,000 benefit claims are submitted from June 5 to 11 – a decrease of 4% compared to last week.Analysts had expected 421,000 new registrations.

The housing starts and building permits issued in the United States are also rising again in May, increasing by 8.7% and 3.5%, according to figures released Thursday by the Commerce .

However, the deficit in the current account of the United States has widened in the first quarter to 119.3 billion against $ 112.2 billion the previous quarter, according to figures released Thursday by the Commerce Department.

Manufacturing activity declines in the Philadelphia area for the first time since September, said Thursday the U.S. central bank (Fed), whose local activity index fell to -7.7 against all odds, the lowest level since July 2009.

In the euro area, consumer prices rose 2.7% year on year, after 2.8% in April, according to a second estimate of Eurostat made similar to the first end of May.

On the currency side, the euro has stabilized against the dollar in late afternoon. Around 17:30 the European currency was worth 1.4166 dollars against 1.4182 dollars late Wednesday. In the morning, the euro has continued to fall weighed down by the Greek crisis, and fell to 1.4090 dollars, its lowest level for three weeks.

Values ​​to follow

Banking

French banking stocks are still under attack on Thursday. They are among the largest declines the CAC 40 business cards. Societe Generale lost 3.28% to 37.50 euros, Crédit Agricole loose 2.77% to 9.63 euros, BNP Paribas was down 2.20% to 50.17 euros. Axa Natixis and follow the trend with decreases of 3.60% to 14.60 euros and 1.37% to 3.45 euros.Dexia unscrews for its share of 4.56% to 2.15 euros.

Areva: -2.80% to 25.31 euros; Eramet: -1.83% to 217.50 euros

Luc Oursel, deputy CEO of Areva, is the favorite to replace Anne Lauvergeon at the head of French nuclear specialist, says the newspaper La Tribune.In addition, the group extended for six months its shareholders in companies with Eramet Sorame CEIR and representing the shareholders of the family Duvan.

Bull: -1.47% to 4.68 euros

The French computer group announced Thursday a plan to recruit a thousand employees for 2011, including 400 in France, mostly young graduates.

Sanofi: -0.92% to 51.43 euros

The group announced Thursday the signing of a research collaboration of two years with the Dutch biotechnology company Audion Therapeutics for the development of potential treatments for hearing loss.

EADS: + 0.65% to 21.53 euros

The low-cost Philippine Cebu Air said Thursday it had entered into a $ 3.8 billion with Airbus for an order for 30 A321s and seven A320s.

Renault: -1.16% to 36.27 euros

The Renault-Nissan is about to take control of Russian automaker AvtoVAZ, an acquisition that would propel the world's third largest, said Thursday the Japanese newspaper Nikkei.

L'Oreal: -1.18% to 84.39 euros

The businessman Stephane Courbit explained in a letter to Liliane Bettencourt why he wants to break the financial partnership that had just concluded the head of Lov group and the heir to L'Oreal.

Total: -0.58% to 37.52 euros

The tanker has completed its friendly takeover bid of about $ 1.3 billion over the American SunPower, a majority of shareholders of the company specialized in solar panels have agreed to tender their shares.

Eurosic: + 0.56% to 33.99 euros

Batipart, family holding company specializing in real estate, will launch a takeover bid for Eurosic in the coming weeks after the sale by Nexity and Banque Palatine of all of their shares in the specialist real estate office.

Vivendi: -0.22% to 18.13 euros

Between September and the summer of 2012, SFR will take the rays of the telephone 80 Fnac stores in France.

France Telecom: -0.49% to 14.21 euros

The operator said Wednesday it had issued 670 million euros maturing in 2019 and 2021.

Perno Ricard: -0.42% to 66.46 euros

The group announced Wednesday that its board had decided to pay an interim dividend of 67 cents per share.

After market, Zodiac Aerospace announce its third quarter revenues.

"CONTEST Estimate the Cac 40 in late June

Asian stock markets follow divergent paths on Wednesday. Markets are generally reassured by U.S. data released Tuesday, less bad than expected on the price front in the production and sales details. But the reluctance dominates.

In Japan, the Nikkei decides to follow the good mood on Wall Street has ended sharply higher on Tuesday. The benchmark index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 0.28% to 9574.32 points at closing. The Topix, wider, took 0.22% to 824.65 points. Again, the action of the electric company Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), operator of the nuclear accident in Fukushima, illustrated by a jump of 32.12%, after the government submitted to Parliament Support project to fund compensation for victims. The title had already taken 25% yesterday.

In contrast, Hong Kong and Shanghai are losing ground.The Hang Seng loose 0.39% and the Shanghai Composite was down 0.49%. Investors are troubled by the decision of the People's Bank of China to meet Tuesday to 50 basis points on required reserve ratio of banks, hoping to contain high inflation that poses many economic and social risks. Beijing had announced earlier that consumer prices rose 5 guaranteed personal loan approval.5% in May, an unprecedented growth in nearly three years. The banking sector battered the image of Bank of China (-1.27%) and HSBC Holdings (-1.01%).

The KOSPI Korea following the Chinese markets and decline of 0.17%. Same thing for the Indian Sensex losing 0.31% and the S & P dropped 0.43% Australian. In Australia, the rating is pulled down by the airline industry. Qantas Airways (-1.06%) and Blue Holdings (-3.33%) and are penalized by their decision to cancel domestic flights due to volcanic emissions.

Trend mixed before U.S. crude stocks

The time is also reluctance on the oil markets on Wednesday. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for July delivery lost 25 cents to 99.12 dollars while that of Brent North Sea crude for delivery rose 49 cents identical to 120.65 dollars.

Investors await the day the report on the status of stocks of petroleum products in the United States. Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires, crude oil inventories have fallen by 500,000 barrels last week. In contrast, gasoline stocks had risen by 400,000 barrels and distillates (including diesel and heating oil) of 900,000 barrels.

"Towards a drought worse" than in 1976 "

"Drought: Farmers will be compensated

Bruno Mayor dismisses the idea of ​​a tax drought

"We resist '. That is what could be read on the sign of one of the protesters took to the streets of Athens on Saturday to protest against austerity measures additional adopted by the Greek government to clean up its public accounts. Responding to the call of the country's two main unions, GSEE (private sector employees) and ADEDY (public sector), the thousands of protesters denounced the identified "social barbarism" After the enhanced supervision of international institutions in their countries . "We oppose the government and the memorandum for these barbaric actions and antisocial," said Gregoris Kalominis, an official of ADEDY.In a joint statement released on the sidelines of the event, the two unions have called for "a different economic policy, with measures of development and social measures that preserve jobs and increase our social and economic rights."

A plea against the recent economic decisions imposed on Greece. Yesterday, the country has received the "troika" (European Central Bank, European Union and International Monetary Fund) the green light for the payment of this summer's fifth installment of the loan of 110 billion euros granted in 2010. But a green light conditioning to "accelerate fiscal and structural reforms in the country", which Moody's rates still at 50% the risk of default within five years. Enough to arouse the wrath of the unions.Indeed, George Papaconstantinou, the Greek finance minister, has already announced it is less than a month an austerity plan for 2011, about 6.4 billion euros.

Hardening of social climate on another front

After nine general strikes, mobilization has been moderate on Saturday. The demonstrators were mostly employees of the public power company PPC, port employees and teachers. An event that went smoothly. Nothing to do with the excesses seen in previous demonstrations.

Mobilization and social deterioration seems rather move on another front, the less supervised by trade unions or political parties. Already experienced in Spain, a spontaneous party Internet illustrates the ras-le-bol of the Greeks, that of "outrage".Now, they do not hesitate to take sides publicly in the political class and physically, according to them responsible of the current situation. For ten days, these "outraged" gather every evening on the Constitution Square, just before the Greek Parliament.

ALSO READ:

"Greece has a new aid of 60 billion